FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Additional low-cost or no-cost disposal opportunities for a handful of hard-to-dispose-of items will be available beginning May 1 through the City’s Clean Green Springfield 
initiative. Items including mattresses, televisions and tires are often dumped in alleyways and along Springfield streets. They not only take up space in the landfill, but also pose a threat to the environment if not properly disposed of.
Special disposal opportunities are funded through Clean Green Springfield and are only valid while funding lasts. Residents are encouraged to watch CleanGreenSGF.com and the City’s social media sites for updates or notification of offers ending prior to heading out to a drop-off site.
TV Recycling – May 1-31
Computer Recycling Center, 528 N. Prince Lane
10 a.m.- 5 p.m., Monday – Saturday during the month of May
Throughout the month of May, the City has partnered with the Computer Recycling Center to provide no-cost television recycling of up to 200 TVs through Clean Green Springfield. TV’s accepted include CRT, LED, Plasma, Big Screen, Console and LCD TVs.
No voucher is required. Just mention “Clean Green Springfield.” Limit ONE no-cost TV recycling per residential household available on a first-come first-served basis.
Items will be collected at their facility at 528 N. Prince Lane during regular business hours, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Saturday. Items must be transported to the facility. No home pickup option is available. Staff members from Computer Recycling Center will be available to help unload items as they arrive at their location.
Mattress Recycling – May 1 – 31
Lone Pine & Franklin Avenue recycling centers, Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill
Americans dispose of an estimated 20 million mattresses and box springs every year, and the vast majority end up in landfills or incinerators. Bulky mattresses are hard to dispose of and often dumped. They are also problematic for landfills: they take up a lot of space because they don’t compact well and are hard on machinery. Mattresses contain nonbiodegradable synthetic foam and fibers, plus flame retardant chemicals. Recycling your bed can help reduce your carbon footprint and help our landfill last longer!
Clean Green Springfield will cover the cost of recycling up to 500 mattresses at the City’s three current mattress recycling sites:
Franklin Avenue Recycling Center (731 N. Franklin Ave.)
Hours: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday
Lone Pine Avenue Recycling Center (320 S. Lone Pine Ave.)
Hours: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday
Springfield Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill (3545 W. Farm Road 34)
Hours: 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday | 7 a.m. – 3 p.m., Saturday
No voucher is required. Just mention “Clean Green Springfield." Limit 4 pieces per residential household. Mattress and box springs accepted. Mattresses must be clean, dry and free of infestation.
About Mattress Recycling
Collection and processing of the mattresses will be provided via a contract with BedHead Mattress Recycling. Mattresses will be transported to BedHead’s facility in Billings, then deconstructed. Components are processed, shipped and ultimately become raw materials utilized by a number of manufacturers in products such as construction materials, wood chip mulch and more.
The City of Springfield offers the opportunity to recycle old mattresses and box springs year-round at the Lone Pine Avenue and Franklin Avenue Recycling Centers and Springfield’s Noble Hill Sanitary Landfill for a fee of $15 per piece, regardless of size.
Learn more about the City’s recycling and solid waste facilities.
Tire Toss – 7 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, May 6
404 N. Jefferson (former Meek’s property)
Recycling tires can help harmful chemicals stay out of the earth, water, and air. It can prevent tires from becoming disease-carrying-pest breeding grounds and can keep them from starting fires. When you are ready to get rid of your old tires, make sure they get recycled.
Springfield citizens have the opportunity to drop off up to 8 tires per residential household. Tires must be detached from rims. Tires must be transported to the event. No home pickup option is available.
The problem with tire waste:
Not only do tires take up unnecessary space in the landfill, but they also pose potential damage to the environment and human health if improperly disposed of. Tires contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals that can leach into the environment as the tires break down. The same chemicals can be released into the air when tires are burned, another common method of improper disposal. Tires also provide a breeding ground for pests such as mosquitos if left discarded out in the open.
For more details about each disposal offer, visit www.cleangreensgf.com.
Clean Green Springfield Volunteer Initiative Update
The Clean Green Springfield community-wide cleanup and beautification initiative is heading into its second month with 1,190 individuals registered for volunteer opportunities and more than 900 bags of litter collected to date since the program launched in mid-March. More than 700 Clean Greeners have followed through on their volunteer commitments so far, logging nearly 2,000 volunteer hours through the initiative.
Two additional drive-thru Packet and Supply Pickup events have been scheduled 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Fridays, May 5 and 12 to continue to provide registrants with T-shirts, volunteer information, litter cleanup supplies and incentive items. Registrants are encouraged to drive through the event, located at the City’s Environmental Resource Center (290 E. Central Street), to pick up supplies and speak with Clean Green Volunteer Coordinators.
Registration for Clean Green volunteer opportunities will remain open through May 31 and additional volunteers are needed! Individuals, families, churches and service teams are encouraged to register for events and opportunities throughout May. Visit www.cleangreensgf.com to view the full schedule and get registered.
Upcoming Clean Green Volunteer Opportunities:
Point of Pride Cleanup Event – Jordan Creek at Main Avenue
9 a.m. – noon | Saturday, May 6
Help us clean up the Jordan Creek in Downtown Springfield that is considered a stream segment most impacted by litter and trash in our community.
Point of Pride Cleanup Event - Wilsons Creek at Scenic Avenue
9 a.m. – noon | Saturday, May 20
This section of Wilson’s Creek passes nearby Ewing Sports Complex and flows alongside the Wilson’s Creek Greenway Trail. Parking at Ewing Sports Complex.
May 27: POSSIBLE RAIN DATE
Mark this date on your calendar as a possible rain date in case rain or other inclement weather causes a Point of Pride cleanup cancellation.
Neighborhood Cleanups
Thirteen of the City’s registered Neighborhood Associations are hosting Neighborhood Cleanup days throughout the spring. Volunteers are needed to help neighbors unload items at the drop-off site, cleanup alley and roadways and help with bulky item pickup throughout the neighborhood.
Rountree Neighborhood Cleanup – 9 a.m. - 9 a.m., Tuesday, May 2 through May 3 at University Heights Baptist (1010 S. National Avenue
Mark Twain Neighborhood Cleanup – 7 a.m. - 7 p.m., Thursday, May 4 at Sunset Church of Christ (1222 W. Sunset Street)
Doling & Tom Watkins Neighborhood Cleanup – 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 10 at Doling Park (301 E. Talmage Street)
View a full list of volunteer events and get registered at www.cleangreensgf.com.
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For more information, contact Cora Scott, Director of Public Information & Civic Engagement, at 417-380-3352 or [email protected] or Kristen Milam, Communications Coordinator, at 573-819-3713 or [email protected].